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Professional ship management, i. e. the management of ships by third parties on behalf of
their owners, has grown in importance in international shipping. This research investigates
the relationship between professional ship managers and their clients in order to lay down
the foundations for optimal marketing strategies directed towards retention of current
clients and prospects over the long-term.
Professional ship management has been described as an efficient organisational. adjustment
to the needs of the global shipping market and a way by which western countries have been
trying to sustain their global maritime dominance (Sletmo 1989). Despite this, ship
management has received little attention from academia. The importance of the subject
area and the limited scientific attention it has received, make professional ship
management worthy of scholarly consideration.
A review of ship management was undertaken in order to ascertain current marketing
policies and problems faced by the industry. Frequent client defections and client
uncertainty and dissatisfaction coupled with marketing directed towards client attraction
(mainly promotion) resulted in identifying that application of relationship marketing may
be beneficial for professional ship management. A review of the relationship marketing
literature supported the application of the concept in a ship management context and
assisted in developing a conceptual model. The conceptual model aimed towards
identifying the dimensionality of ship manager-client relationships and their classification.
Classification involved carrying out tests to identify whether ship management companies
may be assembled into segments on the basis of their client relationships, and if so,
whether particular characteristics of the interacting organisations may be found in
particular relationship segments.
Analysis of the data obtained from telephone interviews with a sample of ship managers in
the United Kingdom and Cyprus resulted in the identification of the dimensions in ship
manager-client relationships. A subsequent questionnaire to the respondents aimed at
identifying the organisational characteristics of the companies and obtained structured
responses to the relationship dimensions. Application of cluster analysis indicated the
existence of four segments of ship management companies on the basis of their client
relationships. The clusters obtained were validated and also supported on a theoretical
basis from the relationship marketing literature. Preliminary investigation between
organisational, characteristics and cluster membership indicated that companies in
particular relationship segments share certain similar organisational characteristics.
Multiple discriminant analysis assisted in identifying those organisational characteristics
that are more strongly associated with cluster membership.
A discussion of the results provides serious implications for practitioners, be it professional
ship management companies or their clients. The research shows that ship management
companies may be facing problems due to their client relationship attitudes, that the ship
management industry is segmented in terms of service providers and that clients can have a
choice of ship manager based on their individual needs. Companies with particular client
relationships may face problems like short-term contracts and client defections. Based on
the study, ship management companies will be able to address and combat such problems.
Furthermore, implications for theory development, research methodology in a maritime
context and scope for further research in professional ship management are discussed. |
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